Metabolomics,Unknown,Transcriptomics,Genomics,Proteomics

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Transcriptome profiling of developing photoreceptor subtypes reveals candidate genes for avian photoreceptor diversification

ABSTRACT: Purpose: Avian photoreceptors are a diverse class of neurons, comprised of four single cones, the two members of the double cone, and rods. Many distinctive features of photoreceptor subtypes, including spectral tuning, oil droplet size and pigmentation, synaptic targets and spatial patterning, have been well characterized, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these attributes have not been explored. Furthermore, the signaling events and transcriptional regulators driving the differentiation of these diverse photoreceptors are currently unknown. Methods: To identify genes specifically expressed in distinct chicken (Gallus gallus) photoreceptor subtypes, we developed fluorescent reporters that label photoreceptor subpopulations, isolated these subpopulations using fluorescence-activated cell sorting, subjected them to next-generation sequencing, and conducted differential expression analysis. Results: We identified hundreds of differentially expressed genes from photoreceptor subpopulations labeled with rhodopsin, red opsin, green opsin, and violet opsin reporters. These genes are involved in a variety of processes, including phototransduction, transcriptional regulation, cell adhesion, maintenance of intra- and extra-cellular structure, and metabolism. Of particular note are a variety of differentially expressed transcription factors, which may drive and maintain photoreceptor diversity, and cell adhesion molecules that may mediate spatial patterning of photoreceptors and act to establish retinal circuitry. Conclusions: These analyses provide a framework for future studies that will dissect the role of these various factors in the differentiation of avian photoreceptor subtypes. mRNA expression profiling of 5 pairs of photoreceptor subtypes isolated from chicken retinal explants, 3 replicates per sample

ORGANISM(S): Gallus gallus

SUBMITTER: Jennifer Enright

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-59850 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress

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Project description:The loss of cone photoreceptor cells, which are critical for optimal daylight vision, have the great impact on vision during retinal degenerations. Retinal differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) sources could provide a renewable source of cone photoreceptors towards developing a cone cell replacement therapy to treat blindness. Demonstration of comparable gene expression profiles between human foetal and stem cell-derived cones at equivalent stages is required to progress the cell transplantation approach into the patient, as it is hypothesised stem cell-derived cones are required to show high levels of developmental recapitulation of the in vivo generated cones. In this study, the AAV2/9.pR2.1.GFP reporter was used to specifically label L/M-opsin cone photoreceptors in human foetal retinal samples, obtained from the MRC-Wellcome Trust Human Developmental Biology Resource, at a range of developmental stages. The L/M-opsin cone population represent the majority cone cell types in the adult human retina and are the only photoreceptors present within the fovea. Using fluorescence activated cell sorting, L/M-opsin GFP+ cones and GFP- retinal populations, alongside total foetal retinal samples containing all retinal cell tytpes, were isolated and processed for bulk RNA sequencing and downstream comparative analysis. Using DESeq2 differential gene expression analyses, statistically significant genes enriched within the GFP+ human foetal LM-opsin cone populations were determined which led to the identification of a cone enriched gene signature of human L/M-opsin cone photoreceptors. The AAV2/9.pR2.1.GFP reporter was applied to hiPSC-derived retinal cultures to isolate and process cone-like cell populations for RNA sequencing using the same strategy developed within the human foetal retina. Applying the cone enriched gene signature to the transcriptome of hiPSC-derived GFP+ samples at equivalent developmental stages revealed some expression similarities in genes found to be enriched within the late foetal L/M-opsin cone photoreceptors. This analysis overall revealed an intermediate stage of cone differentiation was achieved within the hiPSC-derived samples and the comparison to human foetal L/M-opsin gene express profiles suggesting further differentiation of hiPSC-derived sample is required.

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Transcriptome profiling of developing photoreceptor subtypes reveals candidate genes for avian photoreceptor diversification

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